Rosa hybrida / Floribunda rose plant varietal denomination cv. &#39;Meizebul&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plant is provided which abundantly forms clusters of attractive double lightly fragrant blossoms that possess a very stable pink coloration. Such blossoms display a light fragrance. The plant exhibits a regular, compact and bushy growth habit, forms very dense dark green semi-glossy foliage, and possesses very good disease resistance. The new variety is particularly well suited for providing colorful ornamentation in the landscape.

This is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/870,155, filed Jun. 18, 2004, which is a Continuation of U.S. Plant Patent Application No. 09/947,568, filed Sep. 7, 2001.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Rosa hybrida/Floribunda Rose Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. ‘Meizebul’

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Rosa hybrida variety of Floribunda rose plant was created by artificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the new variety was the ‘Delceli’ variety (non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the ‘Meidragelac’ variety (non-patented in the United States). The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows: ‘Delceli’×‘Meidragelac’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of Floribunda rose plant of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

(a) forms on an abundant basis clusters of attractive double lightly fragrant blossoms that are of a very stable pink coloration,

(b) exhibits a regular, compact and bushy growth habit,

(c) forms attractive very dense dark green semi-glossy foliage, and

(d) is particularly well suited for growing as ornamentation in parks and gardens.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry and is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety of the present invention can be readily distinguished from its parental varieties. For instance, the ‘Delceli’ variety is lesser floriferous and forms salmon flowers with a silver reverse having no fragrance and approximately 23 petals. The ‘Meidragelac’ variety forms smaller flowers having approximately 30 petals that are orange-red with a lighter reverse.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in France by a number of routes, including budding, grafting, and cuttage. Asexual propagation by the above-mentioned techniques in France has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation to another.

The new variety has been named the ‘Meizebul’ variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying FIG. 1 shows as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character, typical plants of the new variety with foliage and blossoms in various stages of opening. The rose plants of the new variety were two years of age and were observed during June while budded on Rosa froebelli understock and growing outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based on the observation of two year-old plants during September while budded on Rosa froebelli understock and growing outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France. The coloration in common terms precedes reference to the chart in some instances.

-   Class: Floribunda. -   Plant:     -   -   Height.—approximately 90 to 100 cm on average at the end of             the growing season.         -   Width.—approximately 80 cm on average at the end of the             growing season.         -   Habit.—regular, compact and bushy. -   Branches:     -   -   Color.—young stems: medium green, Yellow-Green Group 146C,             and lightly suffused with Greyed-Red Group 181A. — adult             wood: medium green, Yellow-Green Group 146B, and lightly             suffused with Greyed-Red Group 181A.         -   Thorns.—size: medium. — quantity: moderately sparse. On a             stem length of 20 cm commonly approximately 17 thorns are             present on average. — shape: slightly concave. — color: near             Greyed-Red Group 178D. -   Leaves:     -   -   Stipules.—adnate, pectinate, and narrow.         -   Leaflets.—number: 3, 5, and 7. — shape: ovate with a narrow             tip and an obtuse base. — size: a terminal leaflet commonly             is approximately 5 cm in length on average and approximately             3.5 cm in width on average. — serration: regular. — color             when young: near Green Group 139A suffused with             Greyed-Purple Group 183B on the upper and lower surfaces. —             color when mature: near Green Group 139A on the upper             surface, and near Green Group 137C on the lower surface. —             texture: firm. — general appearance: very dense, dark green,             and semi-glossy foliage. — stems: approximately 40 to 50 cm             in length on average. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Number of flowers.—usually 6 to 15 flowers per stem.         -   Peduncle.—medium green with anthocyanin coloration (near             Greyed-Red Group 178D), medium in size, glandular, commonly             bears tiny prickles, and approximately 5 cm in length on             average.         -   Sepals.—upper surface: near Green Group 137C and very             lightly suffused with Greyed-Red Group 178D. — under             surface: near Greyed-Green Group 191A. — configuration:             elongated and commonly lacking extensions. — texture:             glandular.         -   Buds.—shape: conical. — size: medium. — length:             approximately 2 cm on average. — color upon opening: upper             surface: Scarlet, near Red Group 43B and 43C. under surface:             Neyron Rose, near Red Group 55B and 55C.         -   Flower.—shape: double and flattened when fully open. —             diameter: commonly approximately 9 cm on average. — color             (when opening begins): upper surface: Scarlet, near Red             Group 43B and 43C. under surface: Neyron Rose, near Red             Group 55B and 55C. — color (when blooming): upper surface:             Carmine Rose, near Red Group 52C. under surface: Neyron             Rose, near Red Group 55B and 55C. — color (at end of             opening): upper surface: Carmine Rose, near Red Group 52C.             under surface: Neyron Rose, near Red Group 55B and 55C. —             stamen number: approximately 69 on average. — filament             color: near Yellow-Orange Group 16C. — anther color: near             yellow-Orange Group 16A. — pollen: present in sparse             quantity and pale yellow in coloration. — pistil number:             approximately 74 on average. — style color: near Yellow             Group 8C. — stigma color: near yellow Group 8D. — fragrance:             light. — lasting quality: very long on the plant. A flower             commonly lasts approximately 7 to 9 days on the plant on             average depending upon the environmental conditions. The             longevity of the flowers when cut and placed in a vase has             not been evaluated since the variety is primarily intended             to provide attractive ornamentation while growing outdoors.             — petal shape: cordate. — petal margin: undulated. — petal             number: approximately 24 to 28 on average. — receptacle:             medium green. -   Development:     -   -   Vegetation.—very strong and vigorous.         -   Blooming.—abundant.         -   Resistance to diseases.—very good with respect to Black             Spot.         -   Aptitude to bear fruit.—very weak. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) forms on an abundant basis clusters of attractive double lightly fragrant blossoms that are of a very stable pink coloration, (b) exhibits a regular, compact and bushy growth habit, (c) forms attractive very dense dark green semi-glossy foliage, and (d) is particularly well suited for growing as ornamentation in parks and gardens; substantially as herein shown and described. 